Honduras and Costa Rica cruise to big wins, lead World Cup qualifying group | OneFootball

Honduras and Costa Rica won with authority this Monday (13th) and consolidated themselves in the top positions of the Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers Group C for the 2026 World Cup. The Hondurans overcame Haiti 3-0, while the Costa Ricans defeated Nicaragua 4-1, taking the second place.

Catracho Show in Tegucigalpa

At the Chelato Uclés National Stadium in Tegucigalpa, Rigoberto Rivas (18’), Anthony Lozano (26’), and Romell Quioto (40’) secured the victory for the Honduran team.

Coach Reinaldo Rueda highlighted the group's focus:

With the result, Honduras leads Group C with 8 points, followed by Costa Rica (6), Haiti (5), and Nicaragua (1).

The team can secure a spot in the World Cup if they beat Nicaragua in the next round and Costa Rica and Haiti draw.

Costa Rica Reacts and Thrashes

At the National Stadium of San José, the team of Miguel “Piojo” Herrera achieved their first victory in the tournament after an irregular start.

The goals were scored by Alonso Martínez (12’ and 28’), Manfred Ugalde (49’), and Francisco Calvo (90+4’). Junior Arteaga (26’) scored for Nicaragua.

Nicaraguan Federation's Complaint

After the game, the Nicaraguan Football Federation (Fenifut) released a statement denouncing that the Costa Rican police attempted to detain one of their players, alleging a legal process for child support. The athlete was not identified.

The case generated repercussions behind the scenes and may provoke an official response from Concacaf in the coming days.

Group Situation

With two rounds remaining, Honduras and Costa Rica remain strong contenders for one of the three direct spots in the World Cup. The two best runners-up will still compete in the playoffs.

Honduras concludes the campaign against Nicaragua (11/13) and Costa Rica (11/18), while Haiti will face Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.